Kebbi State has sounded the alarm over a dangerous new terrorist faction called "Sai Mallam" spreading across parts of the state. The group has established a strong presence in Argungu Local Government Area, state officials revealed this week.
Retired Colonel Danladi Ribah, the state's Security Adviser, disclosed the threat during a meeting with police leadership. He spoke with Suleiman Mohammed Abdul, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police overseeing the North-West region, at the Presidential Lodge in Birnin Kebbi.
According to Ribah, operatives first spotted the sect in Zuru in limited numbers. "Without question, 'Sai Mallam' members are now in large concentrations in Argungu," he told the gathering.
Security agencies initially contained the group when it emerged in Sokoto State, Ribah noted. But it has since crossed into Kebbi and grown bolder.
State authorities pledged swift action to halt the faction's expansion. Governor Nasir Idris continues channelling logistics, resources and funds to security operatives combating this and other armed groups, the adviser said.
Ribah explained that Lakurawa fighters infiltrate Kebbi via Sokoto and Niger Republic. Mamudawa gunmen slip in through Kwara and Niger states, he added.
Bandits launching attacks from Zamfara State remain another major headache. "Kebbi State Government has command of this situation and will protect our people," Ribah assured residents.
At the same meeting, the District Head of Ambursa, Alhaji Isa Haruna Rasheed, made an urgent call. He pushed for better police funding to boost operational capacity and officer welfare across the state.
The security meeting underscores rising tensions in the North-West. Multiple militant groups now operate across the region with shifting tactics and expanding territorial reach.
